1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a package structure and a package process. More particularly, the present invention relates to a leadframe-based package structure and a package process.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the great development of electronic circuit design, fabrication technology, and information science, the communication information can be digitalized, so that the communication information or other information can be easily stored in a semiconductor memory device and can be displayed or operated at, for example, a compute r system or any displaying terminal. In the current market, the memory device includes many different type of products, and the multimedia card is one of memory devices having widely application, due to its small size. For example, the multimedia card is adapted into the digital camera for store the image information.
Typically, memory cards comprise multiple integrated circuit devices or semiconductor dies. The dies are interconnected using a circuit board substrate which adds to the weight, thickness, stiffness and complexity of the card. Memory cards also include electrical contacts for providing an external interface to an insertion point or socket. These electrical contacts are typically disposed on the backside of the circuit board substrate with the electrical connection to the dies.
In an effort to simplify the process steps needed to fabricate the memory card, there has been developed by Applicant a memory card wherein a leadframe assembly is used as an alternative to the circuit board substrate. The leadframe and the semiconductor die of the memory card are covered with an encapsulant which hardens into a cover or body of the memory card. In the completed memory card, the contacts of the leadframe are exposed within a common surface of the body, with the die pad of the leadframe and the semiconductor die mounted thereto being disposed within or covered by the body.
The leadframe-based memory cards includes a plurality of supporting bars which are used to connect the contacts to the side rail of the leadframe are typically exposed in the leading edge of the memory card which is initially advanced into the host socket.
More particularly, exposed within this leading edge are the severed ends of the supporting bars created as a result of the cutting or singulation process typically used to separate the side rail of the leadframe from the remainder thereof subsequent to the formation of the body of the memory card. These exposed portions of the supporting bars give a potential to rust the metal features of the host socket, and are thus highly undesirable. Therefore, the novel structure or fabrication method for packaging the memory card is still in need.